


Sochi Nights

by Bittersweet



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Drinking, Fluff, Los Angeles Kings, M/M, Montreal Canadiens, NHL Goalies, New York Rangers, Olympics, Phoenix Coyotes, Poker, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues, Strip Poker, Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets, sochi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-19
Updated: 2014-02-19
Packaged: 2018-01-13 02:24:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1209307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bittersweet/pseuds/Bittersweet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lack goes to Russia to visit Luongo during the Olympics. Quick throws a party for all the NHL goalies, a poker challenge is issued, and everyone drinks too much.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sochi Nights

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Daftpup](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daftpup/gifts).



“Why don’t you come to Sochi anyway?” Lu had asked him when Eddie had learned that he wouldn’t be playing for Sweden. “You could be my adoring fan.”

“Like your ego needs more stroking,” Eddie had retorted. “Besides, I’ll be cheering for Sweden.”

Luongo nodded sagely. “Someone has to support the underdogs.”

Which led to Eddie getting on a plane headed for Russia a few days later. He landed mid-afternoon and took a cab to where the Canadian’s were staying in the Olympic village. The Canadian team wasn’t back from practice yet so Eddie sat on the porch to wait, watching a pair of ravens on the opposite roof. He didn’t have to wait long and the ravens flew away as a car pulled up.

“Stork!” Luongo greeted him jogging up from the car. “It’s about time you got here.”

Eddie stood up, grinning. “The plane wouldn’t fly faster no matter how many times I asked.”

Luongo laughed. “Damn those inanimate objects. Animate? It does move.” He shook his head and opened the door, Eddie following him inside. “Anyway Quick’s throwing a thing for the NHL goalies tonight. You in?”

“Sure.”

“Cool. Let me shower then we’ll grab something to eat on the way over there.”

“Do you have any food here? I could cook,” Eddie asked eagerly.

Luongo laughed. “We’ve been eating at the cafeteria most of the time so I doubt there’s much of anything in the cupboards. I’ll be quick, I promise.”

Eddie poked through the kitchen while he waited and had to admit the cupboards were as bare as if the Grinch had visited the night before. The apartment was miniscule, the kitchen and living room one space and the single bedroom and connected bathroom another, and didn’t take long for him to explore. He was lying on the tiny sofa with his legs stretched over the arm when he heard the shower turn off and a minute later Luongo came out of the bedroom, his dark hair brushed back from his face and damply curling against the back of his neck.

“I hope you don’t expect me to sleep on this,” Eddie said grinning as he looked up at Luongo.

“Nah, I thought we’d just throw some blankets on the floor for you. Ready to go?”

Eddie swung his legs back to the floor and bounced up. “Yep. Can we eat at the Cafeteria? I want to see what they feed Olympic athletes.”

“Same things the dieticians have us eat back home. Don’t you want to try Russian food?”

“I’d rather have Fruit Loops, but,” Eddie gave a heavy sigh, “I guess I’ll have to settle.”

They ended up at an American style café that Luongo swore served the best mushroom soup on the continent. Eddie had to admit it was pretty good once he’d picked all the chewy mushroom bits out of it.

“You know most people expect to find mushrooms in their mushroom soup,” Luongo pointed out as they drove to Quick’s apartment.

“What can I say,” Eddie said grinning. “I’m a rebel.”

Everyone else was there already when they reached Quick’s apartment. There was enough alcohol stacked in the kitchen to get half of Russia drunk and Quick didn’t waste any time pressing bottles of beer into their hands.

They sat drinking and talking about hockey for a while then Price and Smith came over from where they’d been talking with Guastavsson.

“Lu!” Price said. “We need you to defend Canada’s reputation!” Smith nodded, glaring back at the Swede.

“How many drinks have you guys had?” Luongo asked exchanging a look with Eddie.

Price shrugged dismissively. “Gustavsson thinks Lundqvist can beat you at poker!”

Eddie had to take a drink to hide his amusement at the look of outrage on both the Canadian’s faces.

“Good for him,” Luongo said laughing. “Hey, Quick!” he called catching his attention. “Don’t let these two have any more to drink.”

“You can’t let them get away with this!” Price objected.

“The Canadian reputation is at stake!” Smith added.

“What’s going on?” Quick asked.

“Lundqvist just challenged Lu to a poker game,” Eddie answered grinning.

“Can anyone play or is this a grudge match?” Miller asked.

“We’re not really,” Luongo started.

Eddie nudged him lightly with his toe. “Think of the entertainment value.”

Luongo shook his head but was smiling. “All right.”

The room was suddenly full of motion as they tried to clear enough room for the game.

“Give me a hand with this,” Quick said as they pushed the furniture around to make room for the table Price and Enroth were dragging out of the kitchen. Eddie helped him shove the heavy sofa (which wouldn’t have been so heavy if Berra and Hiller hadn’t decided to sit on it instead of helping) up against the wall.

Niemi and Budaj produced a bag of poker chips and a couple of decks of cards, Budaj demanding to be the dealer even though no one was objecting. They had too many people for poker, twenty counting Eddie, so Niemi divided the chips up evenly to everyone who wanted to play and as people were eliminated from the game, new players could come in. Some of them just wanted to watch, Berra and Hiller not wanting to move from the sofa, and Rask was clearly there just for the alcohol, retreating to a corner with a bottle of vodka. Eddie counted himself out because he didn’t understand the rules even though Lu had tried to explain them to him at least a dozen times, probably because he always got distracted watching Lu’s hands as they flipped through the cards.

“The game is 7 card stud,” Budaj said shuffling the cards like a shark. “We’ll stick to core rules for the guys who don’t play often.”

They started with eight players: Budaj, Luongo, Lundqvist, Quick, Pavelec, Niemi, Varlamov, and Enroth. Budaj dealt out the cards and Pavelec started the betting. They had only played a few rounds before Pavelec was out of chips. He left the game with a shrug and easy grin but stayed close to watch as Smith took his place.

Eddie watched the cards and drinks make their way around the table, the drinks moving more quickly than the cards. It wasn’t long before everyone had been switched out except Luongo, Lundqvist, and Budaj who kept himself in the game but didn’t seem to care if he won so long as he got to deal the cards.

“You’re out Price,” Lundqvist said when the Canadien was out of chips.

“But I still have cards,” Price said looking at the table in confusion.

“But you don’t have anything left to bet.”

“You can have my shirt,” Price said starting to undo the buttons.

“This isn’t strip poker Price,” Lehtonen said grinning.

“Aw let him play,” Miller said laughing. “It’ll give us something to bug him about on the ice.”

“He’ll pass out in a minute,” Budaj said, dealing the next hand. Almost before he’d finished talking Price’s eyes closed and he started to slide out of his chair.

Bobrovsky was sitting next to Price and caught him before he hit the floor. The Russian shook his head as he moved Price onto the floor next to the sofa that Berra and Hiller had claimed, out of the way of being stepped on.

“Hey,” Eddie said tapping Luongo on the shoulder. “Can you hurry up and beat Lundqvist? I want to go home.”

“Shouldn’t you be cheering for Sweden?” Luongo asked grinning.

“Only for the Olympics,” Eddie assured him leaning against the back of Lu’s chair. “Personally I like you better.”

Luongo glanced over his shoulder at him. “I should hope so.” He turned his attention back to the game and started playing in earnest, knocking Miller, Howard, and Lehtonen out in quick succession. Gustavsson folded out on the next round and Halak and Bobrovsky were eliminated soon after. Eddie lost track of the plays after that, closing his eyes and resting his head against Luongo’s shoulder. He must have drifted off because the next thing he knew Luongo was waking him up.

“Come on Eddie,” Lu said gently. “It’s time to go.”

Eddie yawned and stumbled to his feet. He followed Luongo out of the apartment, Luongo putting an arm around him to keep him from walking into the wall. Once they were outside the fresh air and movement started to wake him up a little.

“We left the car back there,” he said as they walked.

“I’ll go get it tomorrow. It’s not far back to my place.”

It was a nice night out with bright stars overhead and a slight breeze so the walk seemed to take no time at all.

Eddie undressed lazily and slid under the blankets as Luongo did the same, curling up close to him.

“Hey,” Eddie said a thought coming to him just as he was about to fall asleep. “Who won the game?”

“I did of course,” Luongo answered as though it had never been in doubt. “How could I lose with my good luck charm there?”

Eddie smiled. “Good,” he mumbled as sleep pulled him under.


End file.
